A method for controlling the building of a reinforcing structure of tyres for vehicle wheels comprises: exerting, on a head portion of a reinforced continuous elongated element (10) of elastomeric material, an attraction force towards a forming support (200); depositing the elongated element (10) on the forming support with a predetermined tension force to form a coiled winding; depositing at least one reinforcing layer in a radially outer position with respect to the coiled winding to form a reinforcing structure in which between the coiled winding and the reinforcing layer a mutual coupling force acts; separating the reinforcing structure from the forming support through radial contraction of the latter. At least one of the attraction force and the tension force is controlled so that the sum of such a force and the tension force is lower than the coupling force.